Game Review

Hawks do it by halves in Launceston thriller over the Blues
Hawthorn has staged a remarkable fightback to come from six goals down to pip a maturing Carlton by five points at University of Tasmania Stadium on Sunday. The Blues appeared set to secure back-to-back wins for the first time in almost two years when they piled on eight of the first 10 goals before the listless Hawks, staring down the barrel of a third successive loss, finally burst to life to overpower the plucky upstarts, winning 13.15 (93) to 13.10 (88). In an enthralling last quarter in which there were three lead changes, Carlton led by eight points before Hawthorn rattled on the next four goals to open up a seemingly impregnable 17-point advantage. The Blues weren't done yet, with impressive young midfielders Sam Petrevski-Seton and Lochie O'Brien snapping goals to reduce the margin to six points with just two-and-a-half minutes left. Brendon Bolton's team continued to surge forward and, although denied by superb, goal-saving pack marks by Hawks Jarman Impey and James Sicily, they created more scoring chances, with little man Zac Fisher hitting the post with a snap from a stoppage with just 48 seconds remaining – a shot that would have levelled the scores. The Blues had one more chance when they pumped the ball back inside their forward arc when the siren sounded, a split-second before key forward Harry McKay grabbed what would have been his fourth contested mark.

The returning Liam Shiels (three goals) and Luke Breust (three goals after a quiet first half) were critical to the Hawks' comeback but the one constant was brilliant midfielder Jaeger O'Meara, who amassed a career-high 43 possessions (24 contested), nine clearances and a goal in a clear best-afield exhibition. He had 15 more touches than the next most prolific player, Carlton co-captain Patrick Cripps (28). Alastair Clarkson and his men have stabilised their ledger at 3-3 but they will also sigh with relief after producing one of its poorest first halves in recent memory. They will also sweat on the availability of young runner James Cousins, who was reported after appearing to make contact with Petrevski-Seton's head with a left forearm in the last quarter. Compounding matters for the brave Blues, veteran Kade Simpson left the field with hamstring tightness early in the third term and didn't return. Carlton's first half was a revelation. A week after breaking an eight-game losing streak by belting the Western Bulldogs, the Blues played with even greater assurance against the Hawks early, opening up an imposing 36-point lead midway through the second term. Matthew Kreuzer was beating Ben McEvoy in the ruck, providing Cripps and Petrevski-Seton with the impetus around the stoppages (which at one point they led 25-12) and they moved the ball quickly to an open forward that boasted two strong forward targets in McKay and Mitch McGovern, both of whom kicked two goals in the first term. In perfect conditions, Carlton kicked the first three goals in the space of five minutes and produced its first six-goal first term since round one last year, and their first against Hawthorn since 2004.

Adding further merit to the Blues' effort, they did it without emerging forward Charlie Curnow, who was a late withdrawal with ongoing knee soreness. His replacement David Cuningham kicked a miraculous early goal. They also had history stacked against them given the Hawks had amassed 31 wins and a draw from their previous 35 games in Launceston. After kicking just three goals in the first half, the Hawks lifted their intensity considerably, adding six of the next seven goals to lead by four points early in the last quarter. Twice they seemed set to run away with the game, but Carlton bounced back on both occasions before falling just short in a grandstand finish. Key forward Charlie Curnow was afforded the luxury of being given until the last minute to prove he was over the knee issue that had also sidelined him the previous round, but he was ruled out. Kade Simpson suffered a hamstring issue in the third term and sat out the remainder of the contest. Fellow defender Nic Newman also had a leg problem in the last quarter. - Ben Collins.